1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment (Confederate)

The 1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment, also known as "Dobbins' regiment", was a cavalry formation of the Confederate States Army in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War commanded by Colonel Archibald S. Dobbins.

Regimental order of battle

Units of Dobbins' regiment included:

• Company A – Capt. Samuel Corley, of Phillips County. Formerly known as Corley's Company, Chrisman's Battalion:
• Company B – Capt. Rufus D. Anderson of Phillips County. Formerly known as Anderson's Company.
• Company C – Capt. James H. McGehee of St. Francis County. Formerly known as McGhees Company,
• Company D – Capt. George W. Rutherford of Independence County. Formerly known as Rutherford's Company.
• Company E – Capt. Morgan M. Bateman of Jackson County. Also known as Bateman's Company.
• Company F – Capt. Robert C. Nall of St. Francis County.
• Company G – Capt. James F. Barton of Crittenden County. Also known as Barton's Company.
• Company H – Capt. William R. Coody of Woodruff County.
• Company I – Capt. John T. West of Independence County.
• Company K – Capt. William Weatherly of Phillips County.

Company F was consolidated with Company A on January 3, 1864.

Companies D & H were consolidated with Company E on January 3, 1864.

The original regimental staff officers were:

• Colonel Archibald S. Dobbins
• Lieutenant Colonel F. M. Chrisman
• Major Samuel Corley

A court martial resulted in Colonel Dobbins' refusal to accept orders from General John S. Marmaduke because Marmaduke had killed Brigadier General L. M. Walker in a duel just before the Battle of Little Rock.

Battles

Dobbins' regiment was engaged in the following battles:

• Battle of Helena, Arkansas July 4, 1863
• Battle of Bayou Fourche September 10, 1863
• Battle of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, October 25, 1863
• Battle of Fort Davidson, Missouri, September 27, 1864
• Fourth Battle of Boonville, Missouri, October 11, 1864
• Battle of Glasgow, Missouri, October 15, 1864
• Battle of Sedalia, Missouri, October 15, 1864
• Second Battle of Lexington, Missouri, October 19, 1864
• Battle of Little Blue River, Missouri, October 21, 1864
• Second Battle of Independence, Missouri, October 21–22, 1864
• Battle of Byram's Ford, Missouri, October 22–23, 1864
• Battle of Westport, Missouri, October 23, 1864
• Battle of Marais des Cygnes, Linn County, Kansas, October 25, 1864
• Battle of Mine Creek, Missouri, October 25, 1864
• Battle of Marmiton River, Missouri, October 25, 1864
• Second Battle of Newtonia, Missouri, October 28, 1864

Regimental color

Dobbins' regimental color was captured by Indiana cavalry near Tulip, Arkansas, in October 1863. Colonel Powell Clayton with three hundred and fifty men the 1st Indiana Cavalry and four pieces of light artillery, making a circuitous route, marching ninety miles in thirty-three hours, succeeded in surprising and completely routing Colonel Dobbins' cavalry brigade at Tulip, Arkansas, capturing one stand of colors, all his camp and garrison equipage, quartermaster and commissary stores, medical supplies, transportation, etc.

The regimental color is currently located in the collections of the Old State House Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas. It flag measures 53" x 72". It is blue and has a red cross. It has 13 stars. The flag is sometimes referred to as a Polk Pattern flag after the flag used by General Leonidas Polk's Corps east of the Mississippi River.

See also

• List of Confederate units from Arkansas

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Dedmondt, Glenn. "The Flags Of Civil War Arkansas" (Pelican Publishing Co., 2009). page 106.
• Maxfield, T. "George W. Rutherford's Company C, 1st Arkansas Cavalry." (Prepared by N. Britton.) Independence County Chronicle, 25, No. 3/4 (April–July 1984): 33-35.

External links